If you wanted to gauge exactly what the BBC series The Choir means to South Oxhey look no further than father of three, Dean Bridges. Dean has battled against addiction, depression and bipolar disorder, and the last time we met he was thin, nervous and recovering from the emotional fallout of a suicide attempt made during the series. Now he stands proud in front of the South Oxhey Choir singing the tenor solo for Hallelujah while daughter Lauren hits the high notes. Dean has changed physically too, he looks broader, bigger, and every inch the confident man he should be.

Dean says: “It’s definitely strengthened my voice up. I used to play in a band in a lot in pubs but this is different, you have to sing it straight, which seems unemotional but when the harmonies come together it’s massively emotional.

“For me, it’s been a journey along parallel lines. I was in rehab in the first week of choir practice and both areas of my life have improved together. I’m one very lucky person and I’ve got tons of gratitude.”

The same could be said for many of the stars of The Choir: Unsung Town and others who joined after the show when membership was opened out to a wider community.

Among them is Sue Peters, who works in South Oxhey Library.

Sue says: “I’m really proud and privileged to be part of it. I’ve lived in South Oxhey all my life and it’s really raised the profile of the area. I saw the programme and felt really inspired – it was a credit to everyone taking part. My only regret is I didn’t join last year.”

Harrow Weald teacher Anne Drew, 54, joined eight weeks ago and commutes to attend rehearsals.

Anne says: “I had a really bad day today but the comradeship lifts your spirits. I came in feeling down and croaky, and now I feel like we can take on the world.”

Irene Owen, 86, used to tour the country with the Roger Jones choir. She still does the books for her church, St Martins, where she sings on Sundays.

“I’ve lived for 60 years on the estate. I was 26 when I came here and it was all fields, this school wasn’t even built. I had five children but I didn’t know anybody. My daughter-in-law and granddaughter are both in the choir with me. I love it, it’s my night out.”

Sitting in on rehearsals last Tuesday night, I was struck by how professional the choir has become. The sound is bigger and richer too.

Choirmaster Gareth Malone laughs and jokes with them but if the sound is not right he is swift to make them work to perfect it and they respond with enthusiasm and flair.

Among his comment to them are: “Try to take some of the strain out", "I want to hear the sun coming up", "It’s about preparing for the note before the high note", "Throw caution to the wind", and "Get those eyebrows up."

Gareth says: "One of the main things is they behave like a choir. I can be more exacting and they respond to it."

Soprano Dee Johnson has certainly responded in a positive way. Dee was living in a homeless unit and suffering from racist abuse when she first joined the choir at the start of the programme. Mother to Dajé, 13, who goes to Watford Grammar School for Girls, Déjon, 11, who’s into football and Gené, seven, who is also in the choir, Dee sings at the New Life Assembly Church in Borehamwood and has worked with autistic children at Radlett Lodge School for the past seven years.

Dee tells me when she was younger her family formed a girl group and auditioned for the first X Factor show.

“That was a shambles,” she recalls. “I’m really shy and I get stage fright. It might look from The Choir, I got the solo for Higher and Higher right in five minutes, but it took weeks. Gareth pushed me and he and the crew made me stay. There were a couple of times when I was really down and they said, you’re not a quitter, you’re a soldier.”

Dee says things have improved on the estate too. “Teenagers say ‘alright?’ now and sing the songs to me. The choir’s like a family, it keeps me going.”

Gareth is very proud of what all the members have achieved and has given responsibility for a lot of the organisation to Mark Brunette, Carley Harvey and the choir committee.

He says: “They’ve got to do it themselves and good for them. I’ve been trying to reassure them that what they’re enjoying is singing. Of course, they know and trust me and that’s fantastic but it’s all about the music not some weird cult about a personality.

"The choir has developed its own logic and friendship groups and hopefully confidence will be up because it’s nearly the anniversary of their first performance."

The South Oxhey Community Choir sing at Watford Colosseum on Friday, December 18.